Meditation :: 4/27/15 PM

Meditation

Psalm 1:2b "...and in his law doeth he meditate day and night."

I. The Definition of Meditation

Meditate: Hebrew: hagah  meditate; speak; imagine; study; mutter; utter; talk

Proverbs 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

II. The Deed

            A. Involves Excitement – unable to keep it inside

Psalms 77:12  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

            B. Involves Determination – unable to be distracted by personal conflicts

Psalms 119:23  Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

            C. Involves Selflessness – unhindered by those that are proud and perverted

Psalms 119:78  Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

            D. Involves Humility

Psalms 119:15  I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

            E. Involves Thankfulness

Psalms 143:5  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.

            F. Involves Action

Psalms 119:48  My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

            G. Involves Joy

Psalms 104:34  My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

            H. Involves Understanding

Psalms 49:3  My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

III. The Duration

            A. During rest

Psalms 63:6  When I remember thee upon my bed

            B. During the day

Psalms 119:97   O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

            C. During the night

Psalms 63:6  When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches.

            E. During work

Psalms 119:148  Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.

Conclusion: Joshua 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

The Ministry of Restoration :: 4/12/15 PM

The Ministry of Restoration

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Intro: Concerning this matter of sin in the church, I believe there are two ditches on either side of the road.  We must be careful not to hold one of these extreme positions.

                A. The Ditch of Arrogant Defense – Turn to I Cor. 5:1-8

The church of Corinth was in this ditch.

Sin was going on around them and they defended the guilty party.

Paul rebuked them for being “puffed up” rather than mourning the sin of this man.

He was guilty of the grossest, most ungodly form of fornication – incest.

Rather then deal with this sin, the church of Corinth were “puffed up” and “glory” – vs. 6

Paul, in his absence, weighed in on the situation with strong admonition and rebuke.

He used the phrase in verse 5 “delivered unto Satan” and vs. 7 “purged out”.

Paul made no bones about it – this man needed to be cast out of the church.

                B. The Ditch of Arrogant Division - 3 John 9, 10

On the other side of the road is another ditch that is condemned by the Scripture just as strongly.

Here was a man that was the absolute opposite of the church of Corinth.

The church of Corinth didn’t think you could do anything BAD enough to get cast out of the church.

This man – Diotrephes – didn’t think you could do anything GOOD enough to NOT get cast out of the church.

Note John the Beloved’s comments about this man’s method.

·         Who loveth to have the preeminence among them – contrast this to Colossians 1:18  And he (Jesus Christ) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

·         Receiveth us not – this man didn’t even want the Apostle John around. Imagine that!

This man was called “the disciple whom Jesus loved FOUR TIMES! - John 19:26; John 20:2; John 21:7; John 21:20

• prating against us – to utter nonsense, talk idly, to bring forward idle accusations, make empty charges
• malicious words – full of labours, annoyances; unethical, wicked, evil
• not content therewith – he was an unhappy, dissatisfied, discontented, miserable man
• doeth he himself receive the brethren – to not admit; to reject
• forbiddeth – to hinder; to prevent; to deny
• them that would – them that are willing; that have a desire
• casteth them – drive out; force out; leave out; to lead out or force somewhere else

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THESE TWO DITCHES IS THE PATH TO BIBLICAL RESTORATION.

I. The Cause for Restoration - Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault

                A. If a man – keep this in mind: people make mistakes.

People sin.  We have a sin nature.

This caught my eye as I meditated and studied this verse.

Even saved people are still people – fallen man with a cursed sin nature.

Saved or not – people have the capacity to do a lot of things that are wrong.

Acting like a saved person shouldn’t do anything wrong is both naïve and unbiblical.

Notice what God said –

·         Psalm 78:37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

                B. be overtaken – to take by surprise; to get caught up with

                C. in a fault – a sin or a lapse or deviation from truth

II. The Conditions for Restoration

                A. ye which are spiritual  - described in detail in Galatians 5:22, 23

NOTE: If you do not fit the criteria for the Spirit-filled life, you are not Biblically qualified to restore a brother!

·         Carnal people cannot restore.

·         Bitter people cannot restore.

·         Vengeful people cannot restore.

·         Sinful people cannot restore.

Paul wrote to the Galatians for YE WHICH ARE SPIRITUAL to do the restoring.

This is why it is so important that we walk in the Spirit.

Someone might need our help this week!

                B. restore such an one

RESTORE: to render fit, sound, complete, to mend (what has been broken or rent), to repair

There is a great need in the church for spiritual people to help restore others!

·         Eccl. 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

NOTE: The goal is not to RELATE – it is to RESTORE.

You don’t have to be able to identify with someone in order to help them.

You don’t have to experience what they are experiencing.

·         ILLUSTRATION: Does a doctor have to know what its like to have cancer to help someone with cancer?

Christ has done that already.  He was tempted in all points.

They don’t necessarily need our sympathy; they need restoration.

We need to be HONEST; truth AND grace

We must agree with God about their fault.

Agreeing with them will not restore them; it will make it worse.

·         QUOTE: Most people do not want advise – they want approval.

They don’t want to be restored; they want to recruit.

C. in the spirit of meekness – this is the tenderness; a tactful and gracious spirit

To approach a person with a problem with a “I can’t believe you did that attitude” is counterproductive.

Restoration should be done with a kind, loving, compassionate, gentle, Christ-like spirit and attitude.

Not one of judgmental condemnation and berating rebuke.

III. The Cautions for Restoration - considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

It is absolutely imperative that the one doing the restoring has enough wisdom to consider themselves.

They way some people pursue the restoration process is not very considerate toward themselves.

They do themselves an injustice.

·         Consider: to look at, observe, contemplate 2) to mark 3) to fix one’s eyes upon, direct one’s attention to, any one 4) to look to, take heed to thyself

·         Tempted: to be tested or tried

This is why you must be spiritual.

Carnal people can’t handle being privy to things that have OVERTAKEN most people.

Carnal people can’t respond correctly to details about a FAULT that has OVERTAKEN a brother.

They misjudge – they act irresponsibly; they talk to others about it; they let it bother them.

Then we have the BLIND LEADING THE BLIND and they will both fall into the ditch.

Conclusion: Biblical restoration calls for spiritual people with a love for God and a love for people to help those that are in need of help to get back on their feet and help encourage them to keep going on for God.

Opposition to the Church Part 1 :: 4/12/15

The Oppositions of the Church

Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Intro: One very clear fact is made obvious when Jesus founded His church.  The fact that there would be opposition is announced from day one.

The church was unveiled to the world in Acts 2.

From that point, it began to draw immediate opposition and adversity.

I. Opposition from Below

Jesus prophesied that the gates of hell should not prevail.

This means that the very gates of hell would TRY to prevail.

Satan hates the church.

He hates everything about the church.

                A. He hates the Master

We see in Matthew 4 where the devil tried three times to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ.

                B. He hates the Members

·         1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Satan knows he has lost the soul of God’s people. 

But that doesn’t stop him from seeking to destroy their lives.

·         Luke 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

                C. He hates the Messenger

·         1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

·         Saul’s commission to preach is described in Acts 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

                D. He hates the Message

·         Mark 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Satan knows better than anyone else that the Word of God is QUICK AND POWERFUL and sharper than any two-edged sword.

He will do everything He can to prevent the message from being preached, from being heard, and from finding a lodging place in the hearts of people.

If Christ Be Not Raised :: 4/5/15

If Christ Be Not Risen

I Cor. 15:14

Intro: The subject of life after death has been a subject that has been debated and discussed since the beginning of time.  The oldest book in the Bible is the book of Job, and in this book we find Job asking:

·         Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

One of the oldest Patriarchs, Abraham, believed in the resurrection.

·         Heb. 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

During the ministry of Christ, there was a group called the Sadducees.  They refused to believe in the resurrection.

They are mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke as not believing in the resurrection.

When Paul the Apostle preached on Mars Hill, his mention of the resurrection was met with scoffing and mockery.

·         Acts 17:32  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

Today, we have a large group of people that deny the resurrection of Christ.

Many of them claim to be Christians, yet deny this vital fundamental.

The liberal Bible colleges and seminaries are pumping out a generation of preachers that deny the resurrection.

I. Then All That We’ve Heard is a Lie

                A. The Prophecies are a Lie

                                1. Old Testament Prophecies

·         Psalms 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

·         Acts 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

·         Isaiah 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

                New Testament Prophecies

Multiple times throughout the ministry of Christ, He taught His disciples that the resurrection would take place.

·         Matthew 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

·         Matthew 20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

·         Matthew 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.  So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

·         John 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?  But he spake of the temple of his body.

                B. The Preaching is a Lie

·         1 Corinthians 15:14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

Imagine the preaching that has taken place since the resurrection.

Imagine the thousands of pastors, evangelists, laymen, missionaries that have stood in pulpits and preached it!

Imagine the thousands and thousands of hours of studying and preparing that has gone into the gospel message being preached all around the world over the past 2,000 years.

Imagine all the thousands of books that have been written, commentaries, gospel tracts.

Paul said it right – If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching and teaching is false.

II. Then All that We Have Is Lost

                A. Our Faith is Lost – vs. 14; 17

Paul made this point in numerous places. See text: vs. 14 ...and your faith is also vain.

How can we expect Christ to “quicken” us and raise us from the dead if He couldn’t raise Himself?

·         Romans 5:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

·         Romans 4:24  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

·         Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

·         Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

·         I Thess. 1:9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Paul said in verse 17 – if Christ be not raised, ye are YET IN YOUR SINS!

·         That means your sins have never been forgiven!

·         That means your prayers are not being heard and none of them have ever been answered!

·         That means that the change that has taken place in your life has not been a work of the Holy Spirit!

·         That means that the joy and the peace in your heart is imaginary; it’s not real!

·         That means that strength you draw from the Scripture is all in your head!

Paul is saying – If Christ Be Not Risen, we are still on our way to Hell!

                B. Our Fathers are Lost – vs. 18

Paul pointed out one devastating truth; if Christ be not raised, then our forefathers that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished!

He was talking about those that died, putting their faith and trust in Christ.

·         This would include John the Baptist who was beheaded for his preaching.

·         This would include James the brother of John that was killed by Herod in Acts 12.

·         This would include all of the martyrs and the Apostles that died for their faith.

·         This would include every man, woman, boy and girl that has died trusting in Christ.

·         This would include my great-grandfather that preached all over South Georgia as a circuit riding preacher.

·         This would include my granddaddy that preached on the Grace of God like other preacher I’ve ever heard.

·         This would include my wife’s grandmother that died hearing angels singing.

·         This would include those old time preachers that we’ve always enjoyed hearing.

·         Dr. Harold Sightler, Dr. Lee Roberson, Billy Kelly, Oliver B. Greene, Maze Jackson, Edgar Thomas, …

III. Then All That We Hope For is Limited – vs. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Paul goes on to make a case for the second coming of Christ.

BUT – if Christ be not risen, we have no hope of every living after we die.

·         There is no resurrection.

·         There is no rapture.

·         There is no Heaven.

·         There is no Judgment Seat of Christ.

·         There is no Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

·         There is no singing around the throne of God.

·         There is no walking down the streets of gold.

·         There is no eating of the fruit of the tree of life.

IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN – our future is lost!

Conclusion:  But thanks be unto God – verse 20 says it plainly. BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD!!!

We know this – not because there were witnesses.

·         I Cor. 15:5  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.  After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

He taught that because of one man, Adam, sin and death entered the world.

And by one man, Christ, life and resurrection entered into the world.

He preached in verse 26 that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

We know this is true because the Scriptures tells us He’s alive!

We know this because He quickened us and made us alive!

We know this because He lives within our hearts!!

It’s NOT all a lie!

It’s not all lost!